Overfishing: Oceans Are Dying
This is the Hall of Fame for all around the world Sea Shepherd Conservation Society advocates. This is our tribute for supporting our cause and for defending the Oceans and
| Whale Killers Jailed |
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| Written by Administrator | |||
| Thursday, 03 July 2008 21:32 | |||
 The Man with the Big Gun is going to jail! Whale killer Wayne Johnson received a five month sentence from the United States Federal Court in Tacoma, Washington for his part in the cruel killing of a Gray whale in August of 2007. Whale killer Andy Noel received three months and the other three accomplices Frankie Gonzales, Theron Parker, and William Secor received two years of probation and 150 hours of community service. “The killing of that whale last year was illegal, inhumane, and a blatant act of contempt against the Marine Mammal Protection Act,” said Captain Paul Watson. “Wayne Johnson has boasted for years that he and his fellow whalers are above the laws of the United States. This week he discovered that the whales are indeed protected in American waters from the desires of men with big guns like himself. He wanted to be a trophy hunter and now he is a convicted felon – a cheap and sadistic killer, and he is going to jail – the best place for him. And more importantly the court has ordered that he will not be able to participate in a whale hunt should the Makah Tribe ever receive legal permission to resume whaling activities in American waters.”These five men were supposedly trained in the traditional practice of whaling. Instead they displayed a degree of gross incompetence that made a mockery of the traditions of their own people. They were unable to kill the whale, they wounded it, and then lost a gun overboard and then were unable to finish the job causing the whale to suffer for over ten hours before finally dying. The U.S. Coast Guard were alerted when the shooting began and intervened to arrest the whalers. The killing of whales is a violation of the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act and it is a violation of the international regulations of the International Whaling Commission. Wayne Johnson has argued that killing a whale is a part of Makah culture. However according to Makah elder Dottie Chamblin, weaving baskets and learning the Makah language is part of the culture whereas blowing a whale away with a .50 calibre anti-tank gun is not. Wayne Johnson does not speak the language, he does not participate in traditional ceremonies nor has he undertaken the traditional sacrifices required of traditional whalers. He was just a macho wannabe male with a big gun with an anger management problem. And now he is in jail.
(Source: Sea Shepherd Conservation Society) 
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